Sunday 15 January 2012

Stewards

Today is Sunday and we had a sermon on stewardship, it was more or less an introduction to the theme of the year which is growing in Life Stewardship. The key scripture for the theme is drawn form Psalm 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
   the world, and all who live in it (NIV)

In the sermon, the pastor referred to key events where God gave stewardship to man, The first to Adam and the second to Noah after the flood.


Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (NIV ,emphasis mine)


Genesis 9:1-2 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands(NIV,emphasis mine)


Lessons from the two events is that God always blessed, before he gave them the role of taking care of His creation. Both of this two men had pleased and had God's favor prior to their blessings. Adam from the fact of been created in God's image and Noah due to his obedience.


The rest of Psalm 24, kind lay out the preconditions to be blessed of God and been His stewards:


 3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
   Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
   who does not trust in an idol 
   or swear by a false god.[a] (NIV ,emphasis mine)


What will happen to them?
 5 They will receive blessing from the LORD 
   and vindication from God their Savior.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
   who seek your face, God of Jacob.[b][c
(NIV ,emphasis mine)